


Don't Touch Them!

by MetalMistress



Series: Invader Zim: After The Florpus [10]
Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Alien Character(s), Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Culture, Alien Technology, Aliens, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Author is not responsible for fluff-induced comas or cavities, Cause its Zim, Dealing with Nightmares, Did I mention I love you guys, Domestic Fluff, Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, I Refuse To Pay Your Medical Bills, Inappropriate Humor, Like who would say no to him, Night Terrors, Nightmares, Not an Irken, Not me thats for damn sure, Sexual Humor, Smeets (Invader Zim), Tall Zim (Invader Zim), The Author Regrets Nothing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Zim finds you sexy and has a hard time keeping his hands off of you, its okay, reader is an alien
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:40:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21856963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MetalMistress/pseuds/MetalMistress
Summary: They're mine.MINE!
Relationships: Zim (Invader Zim)/Reader
Series: Invader Zim: After The Florpus [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1543243
Comments: 24
Kudos: 65





	Don't Touch Them!

**Author's Note:**

> It's ya girl, MetalMistress! (Listen to me. I sound like Guzma, jeez.)
> 
> Hi babies. I'm back at it again with another piece of fluff for you! 
> 
> SoulOfKindess suggested I write a fic involving comfort and fluff after a nightmare, and I had actually planned to do it tomorrow, but then when I went to bed tonight I had a nightmare of my own. So I woke up, and currently it's midnight and I'm too fuckin' scared to fall back asleep. 
> 
> BUT ENOUGH OF MY PROBLEMS, LETS GET INTO THE FLUFFY!

It was in the middle of the night, when you woke up. 

Roughly 2:43 AM. 

You didn't know _why_ you woke up, per se, you just know that you _did._ So, you did what you normally did when woke up in the middle of the night: check your surroundings.   
First; the valuable things; like your family.

You looked to your right, to a small monitor on the wall that showed your smeet sleeping soundly in his nursery. You smiled. Thank Irk for Zim's ingenuity. You swear, that alien could build anything if he put his mind to it. The night that your smeet was born he insisted that a camera system must be built within the walls of the nursery and your shared bedroom so that an eye could be kept on little smeetling Zur at all times. Thank goodness too, because all of the baby monitors you saw that the humans had were poor quality. That confused you; they would buy 1000 dollar cameras or computers for silly things like social media and entertainment but they couldn't invest in a camera that at least had a smooth picture to help keep an eye on their child? How pitiful. You and Zim wouldn't stand for it. Smeets were sacred in your cultures, as they were the very heart of the future. They were the next generation, and that made them so very special.

'If we cannot find a reliable camera, we shall BUILD a reliable camera!' Zim had declared with determination. 'Our smeet MUST be safe!"

When you looked closer, you could see that GIR, bless his metal heart, had crawled into the crib to snuggle with Zur. Oh look, he even brought his favorite blanket and his stuffed piggie! How sweet!

Next, you checked on your mate. You turned your head to the left and frowned.

Your mate, Zim, was having some difficulty in his sleep. 

He was squirming, writhing around and it looked like he was sweating profusely. What could be bothering him? Was he too hot? Was he uncomfortable? You reach over and pull back the sheets he had tangled himself in, to try to offer some relief. But, your attempt to soothe him didn't seem to have an affect because he kept squirming. In fact, it looked like he was reaching out for something. What was he dreaming?

"Computer." You whisper. "Is the rest of the house secure?"

"Yes, Madame. The house is secure. The human boy was sneaking around at midnight again, and tried to get into the yard but the garden gnomes scared him off." The computer politely informed you.

"Thank you, Computer. You're always so nice to me."

"That's because you have brains, Madame."

You chuckle breathlessly, before focusing back on Zim. "Baby. Zim. Wake up." You whisper softly, gently shaking his shoulder. 

"Don't touch them..." He murmurs.

"What? Don't touch who?" You whisper, thinking he's half-awake. 

"Don't **touch** them." He growls, sounding scared, angry, and desperate all at once. It's then that you realize what's going on; he's having a nightmare. 

You redouble your efforts to wake him up, and shake his shoulder a little harder. "Zim, baby it's alright. Wake up!"

Zim **thrashes** in his sleep and begins to scream "DON'T TOUCH THEM! THEY'RE MINE! **MINE!** "

"ZIM!" You shout, scared and slightly worried for him. What could be making him so _angry?!_

The sound of your terrified shout is what forces him out of his dream, and he launches himself upward with a harsh gasp, right into your waiting arms.

He's panting hard, so hard that you can feel his chest heaving against your own. Gosh, he's trembling in your arms, and gripping you so tightly, and so close.

"Zim..." You whisper, wrapping your arms a little tighter around him. 

"Life-Mate.." He pants back softly, almost relaxing into your touch before snapping his head up over to the monitor. "THE SMEET! Is the smeet okay?!"

"Zim! Relax!" You tighten your grip slightly on him to keep him still. You continue on, but only when he stills his body.

"Yes, the smeet is fine..." You whisper while rubbing a hand soothingly down his spine. Upon hearing that the smeet is okay, he collapses into your arms and begins to cry. 

"I thought... I thought they had gotten you.." He says between his heart-breaking sobs.

"Ohh, my sweet mate... My poor love, come here... Come here, lay down with me." You say as you lay back, and pat the space beside you. Zim sniffles and wipes his eyes before crawling over and laying down beside your body. He presses his forehead into your cheek, flattening his antennae submissively as he clings to you like you're his lifeline- like a life-preserver keeping him a float in the large sea of his worries that threatens to drown him.

"What happened?" You whisper softly, while rubbing his back lovingly and gingerly. 

"Dib, and these strange men. They came, and threatened to dissect you. They... oh Irk, they made me watch! They split you both open and made me watch and then they made me hold Zur's broken body!"

Your eyes widen as he begins to cry into your neck, his tears soaking the scar of your mating-mark. No wonder he had been freaking out! Poor Zim!

"Oh, Zim.. my sweet, brave life-mate... How can I help you feel better?"

"I'm too scared to go back to sleep..." He mutters, embarrassed. Here he was an Invader, and scared to go back to sleep! Bah!

"That's fine. You know, I've had a couple nightmares like that before. I had those about you before we even got together."

"Really?"

"Mhm. I usually went to GIR's room on those nights. Didn't know then how'd you react to me crawling into your bed. I was scared you'd have stabbed me." You chuckle.

Zim chuckles, and slightly nods his head. "Well, I don't know. I'd like to say I wouldn't have, but back then I wasn't used to sharing my bed so I don't know how I would have reacted. I startle easily in my sleep." He admits, sheepishly.

You giggle. "That's fine. Want me to make you some cookies?"

"It's 3 AM... and you want to make me cookies?"

"You had a nightmare." You attempt to justify yourself. 

"...What kind?"

"Irken Sugar-"

"Yes."

You snicker. "Alright. C'mon, mister, you're gonna help me!" You say excitedly as you lift yourself out of the bed, and slip into a backless sleeping gown of sorts. It was semi-sheer and made of a silky fabric, but it covered all your lady bits. The Vexen Queen was kind enough to have it commissioned for you when she heard that all you really had was your bodysuits. It was fancy...and pretty sexy. Zim admitted he enjoyed watching you walk around in it... and touching you in it.

Speaking of which...

"Zim...Why are your hands on my ass?"

"Because it's a nice ass." He says as-a-matter-of-factly, from behind you. "It looks nice in that gown."

You laugh. "But why? You've seen me naked, why does it matter?"

"Well, it's like that tradition that humans have."

"Which one?"

"Uh... I think it's called Chreest-mas?"

"Christmas." You corrected.

"Christmas. Right. Humans wrap up gifts in pretty paper, and a bow."

"So the nightgown is like putting a bow on my ass?" You smirk, entirely amused at his analogy.

"Yes." Zim said with determination. "I know what's underneath, but it's still nice to see it all wrapped up and decorated."

You giggle. "Mhm. Alright, I get what you mean. Now, stop poking me and let's go make you some cookies."

Zim whined as he removed his hands, and tucked himself away as he got dressed and followed you to the kitchen.

"Where's GIR?" He asked, as he trotted down the hallway behind you.

"He's sleeping in Zur's crib." You say.

" **What?!** He'll crush him! We've got to get him out of there!" Zim shrieks as he tries to turn and run.

"Zim! He's not 1000 pounds, Zur will be fine!" You laugh as you catch him by the wrist, halting him in his steps. "Shhhh... If you're so worried, I'll show you. Come on. Follow me, but keep quiet." You say as you put a finger against your lips.

Zim nods, and follows you as you lead him down the hallway. You crack the door leading into the nursery, and poke your head in. Zim does the same, and cant help but smile at the sight of GIR cuddling Zur close.

"They're both cuddling GIR's stuffed piggy.." Zim coos.

"Mhm. Isn't it cute? He even brought his blanket and draped it over both of them." You whisper in reply.

Satisfied that his smeet won't be crushed, Zim slips out of the nursery with you and then follows you back down the hallway.

* * *

"Here you go." You smile as you put a plate full of Irken sugar cookies down on the table in the living room. You sit down next to Zim on the couch, who purrs as he cuddles up next to you. 

"Mmm, thank you." He says before kissing your mating-mark and taking a bite out of a cookie.

"Your welcome, love." You say before returning the kiss to his mating-mark and taking a cookie for yourself.

"Mmm. The Computer said Dib was sneaking around the front yard at midnight by the way."

"Did he get close to the house?"

"No, a garden gnome scared him away."

"Good. I don't want him getting close to our smeet."

"You know, Zim, we're getting low on some supplies. We'll need to head to the store today."

"What about Zur?"

"He can come. The Queen gave me a smeet-sized human disguise. He looks just like me with it on. Except he has hair that matches your wig."

Zim puffs out his chest, proudly. He likes knowing that the disguise will show both yours _and his_ traits. You smile and giggle at him.

"Do you think he'll be safe?" Zim asks, glancing down the hall.

"Mhm. The Queen gave us a piece of tech; it's like a stroller but it has two spaces; one for Zur, and another for GIR. They're temperature regulated, so it's much better for him than sitting him in a metal shopping cart. We can use it as a shopping cart as well. It's Vexen certified, so it's 100% safe material. I can get it for you, if you'd like to inspect it yourself. I know you like to be thorough."

"I'd appreciate that, thank you." Zim says. You nod, and walk over by the front door where it's folded up against the wall. You knew what Zim meant; it's not like he didn't trust your queen. He did trust her. But, this wasn't just _any_ smeet, this was _his_ smeet. He just wanted him to be safe, like any good dad would.

You walk over, and unfold it in front of him with a press of the button. Zim stands, and walks over to inspect it. He walks around it several times, chewing on his cookie as he tugs on certain parts to check their stability.

"It seems stable enough. I approve of it." Zim says with a nod.

"Good. I'm glad." You grin. "I'm sure Zur will like it. You'll be going with us, right?"

Zim turned and looked at you. He almost seemed offended by your question. "Of course! What kind of alien do you think I am? Of course, I must be there to protect Zur, GIR, and you!"

You chuckle. "I didn't mean to doubt your ability to protect us, my love. I meant that as in did you _want_ to go with us. I know you have work you-"

"Nonsense! You are all much more important!" He says while waving his hand dismissively.

You roll your eyes. This is gonna be a loonnnng day!

* * *

"Zim, did you grab his pacifiers?"

"Yes."

"Aaaaand GIR's stuffed piggy?"

He silently thrusts it into your direction while raising an eyebrow silently at you. You huff and smile. 

"Sorry. Just want to be prepared." You say, embarrassed. 

"It's fine, my mate. Is your human disguise secured properly? Is his?"

"Yes, and yes."

"Then onward to the store!" Zim declares while dramatically pointing upward into the air before marching right out the door. 

You giggle and then push the carrier out of the door.

When you arrive at the door, all eyes are on you. The store, despite being large, was pretty much frequented everyday by the same people, and everyone pretty much knew you and Zim as 'that cute pregnant couple.' Hell, Zim nearly had a heart attack when you showed him the local newspaper a couple days ago. Apparently, that dirty old man's stunt made local headlines. Zim had been depicted as a hero and a loving-father-to be. So of course, when you and Zim walked through the doors, a couple of the girls working in the front by the produce squealed and whispered to each other about the return of the 'famed couple', _and_ the new arrival accompanying them.   
  
This was, after all, the first time Zur was out in public. 

As you walked by them, the girls absolutely lost their minds and began to coo at your baby. 

"He's SOOO cute!" one of them giggled.

"He looks just like his daddy!" Said another. "Oooh, look at that haaaair!"

Zim puffed out his chest proudly, which made you giggle as you pushed him along past the giggling girls.

"Alright, so what do we need?" You asked Zim, before turning to look down at GIR and Zur, giggling and waving a finger as you smile down at Zur, who gurgles and smiles back up at you.

"Well, we need more fun dip."

"Did you eat it all, again?"

"Maybe..." Zim says sheepishly. You tilt your head and sigh exasperatedly at him, causing him to try to defend himself; "I was hungry! I didn't know what else to grab! I was working and I lost track of time and I-"

"Baby, it's fine." You giggle. "It's okay, we have the monies. We're loaded."

Zim nodded. "And we also need- grrrr..."

"GIR? What about GIR?"

"No, that was not _that_ kind of 'grr'. I- Ugh. Look. Up. At the clothes section. Subtly."

You look out of the corner of your eye, and peeking out from within a clothes rack is Dib. And he's staring at you, and Zim.

"Ignore him. Maybe he'll go away." You whisper.

"Unlikely. But I'll try. But if he gets close to you and Zur..."

"Then I'll cut his hand off with the blade hidden in my bra, and GIR will fire a laser at him if he tries to hurt Zur. Right buddy?" You look down at GIR, who nods eagerly. GIR didn't get angry much, but he was especially protective of his Mama, and his new brother.

"RIGHT!" He shrieked.

Zim nodded, glaring openly at Dib, who seemed to be undeterred by the subtle hostility. Zim then focuses back on you. "What else do we need?" He asks. "Anything you want to check out?"

"I want to see what else they have. Irken diet is mainly sugar, but I want to be sure that what they have is safe for both of you guys."

"And you?"

"Well, Vexen diet is pretty much identical to Irkens, so yes. Me too."

"Alright. Let's go, and quickly, I don't like how Dib is staring."

"It's okay. Just breathe." You say as you push the carrier to the candy isle. "Just stay close to me and Zur, and we'll be okay." 

Zim nods and glares at Dib as you all walk by him.

  
When you arrive at the candy aisle, it has a few other patrons looking around, but only a few. It looked like they just restocked too, which is a bonus. Zim zips down the aisle and pretty much grabs all of the fun dip and puts it in the built-in cart on the carrier. You both try to ignore the strange looks some of them give. Zim levels a hard glare at those who can't seem to break their gaze, and that seems to work for the most part, so you take your time strolling down the aisle, checking things out and putting them in the cart if you find them suitable. 

"Okay... Hersey chocolate seems to be a favorite of GIR's... right?"

GIR nods eagerly, and reaches for the chocolate bars when he seems them on the shelf. You giggle and take a couple, and hand them to him. Zur watches as you hand them to GIR, and gets upset that none was given to him and then starts to cry. GIR doesn't hesitate to open up one of the candy bars and breaks off a piece to give to Zur, who smiles as GIR places it into his mouth. Zur hums at the sweet taste of the milk chocolate and begins to giggle and clap his hands excitedly. 

You and Zim watch with wide, affectionate and adoring eyes at the exchange between the two. 

"Awwww!! Baby, did you see thaaaat?!" You ask excitedly.

"Yes, I did. That was very cute."

You giggle excitedly and bounce up and down happily. "Aaahh, that makes me so happy! C'mon, he seems to like those so we'll get some more." You say, as you reach to grab more off the shelf and put them in the cart. Zim nods, and leans over slightly to check out your ass in the sundress you're wearing as you extend your reach. 

When you put them in the cart, you turn around and catch Zim in the act of staring. Zim, the bastard, just shrugs and smirks smugly. You click your tongue against your teeth, playfully shaking your head. 

"Pervert." You smile.

"It's like a present, just waiting to be unwrapped." He mumbles lowly so that the other patrons don't hear. He giggles when you smack him on the arm.

"You dork!" You snort, giggling childishly. Zur has no idea what you both find to be so funny, but giggles all the same.

"M...Mama! Dada!" Zur says while clapping.

You and Zim halt right in your tracks, and then whip your heads around to look at each other for reassurance that you weren't just hearing things.

"Did he... ?"

"Just say his first words? I think so." Zim said, awestruck.

"YES!" You shriek happily, and Zim laughs while scooping you up in his arms and twirling you around in the air.

You both, admittedly, were a worried. Not for his health, but just worried that there would be some sort of complication with his learning process. While Irkens and Vexens mentally developed quickly as smeets, Irken and Vexen technology allowed them to be taught the language very quickly at a young age. However, you both were far from your home worlds so you had to teach little Zur the old fashioned way. The fact that your attempts to teach him had been successful was a HUGE relief.

"We're doing okay. That's wonderful. That's wonderful." You breathed while pressing your forehead against Zim's in a loving gesture.

Zim smiles breathlessly at you, and then looks down at his son. He pauses for a moment, and then suddenly leans down to press a kiss to Zur's forehead.  
You put your hand over your heart and coo adoringly. 

You know how much that little gesture meant to Zim. When Zim was born, there wasn't anyone to hug him and give him affection. He literally had a PAK drilled into his back, and was told to report for duty. Even still, he tried to be affectionate even at such a young age. He had told you the story of how he jumped up and hugged the[ 'cold, unfeeling robot arm'.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzrE1K0FGLw)

You knew that he wanted to be sure that the smeet knew he was loved. That he was wanted. Appreciated. 

_**All the things he never had.** _

  
It made you tear up a little, to be honest.

Zim noticed your teary-eyes, and leaned over to kiss away your tears. You smiled. 

"How can someone who has been through so much still be so affectionate?" You ask him. "How do you do it?"

"How do _you?"_ He answers the question with one of his own.

That made you stop and think for a moment. "I kept going because I had to. Because I know what it's like to feel unwanted."

"Exactly." Zim says with a firm nod.

You nod in return and then look back down at Zur. You run your fingers through the dark, black hair ontop of his head, making him coo in delight. "You'll always be loved.." you whisper, before looking back up at Zim. "Both of you."

Zim blushes. You smile, and kiss his forehead. 

"Alright. Let's go check out."

The cashier guy gave you some strange looks for all of the candy you guys bought, but still wordlessly checked you out all the same. It went quietly and smoothly. On your way out, the girls were still working near the front of the store and ran over to you to ask you and Zim questions about your baby. You did your best to sate their curiosity, as they cooed and showered your baby with attention. As you waved goodbye and left to walk home, you noticed a smaller, short dark figure trailing after you. When you turned around, you leaned your head on Zim's shoulder and whispered a warning to him.

"Dib is following."

"Does he have weapons?" Zim whispered in return.

"No. He's unarmed from what I can see."

"Alright. I can't whip out my PAK lasers in public though. No one is directly looking, but it'll look strange if they do see something poking out of my PAK."

"Are you any good with a blade?"

"Somewhat."

"Reach in and grab the one in my bra. I have a couple others hidden on me."

"How many do you have?!" Zim whispers incredulously. "And why can't I just grab the others?"

"Because that's the one that's closest to you and easiest for you handle. Besides, free titty grab."

"Eh. True."

"Alright. Through this alleyway. It leads straight home anyway."

Zim wordlessly follows your lead, your head never having left his shoulder. You can still hear Dib walking behind you, steadily getting closer.

Zim's hand reaches into your bra and between your breasts where your dagger is hidden. He pulls it out, and clutches it firmly in his hand, hiding it from Dib's view from behind you both.

"Okay... Now!"

The pair of you whip around, Zim holding the dagger in a protective stance as you smoothly reach for the dual daggers strapped to your thighs. All three blades are suddenly pointed at the 12 year old's neck, who is holding his hands up in surrender.

"Woah!" Dib says in shock.

"What do you want, Dib-Human?" Zim hisses out

Dib shifts awkwardly, and realizes he probably shouldn't have done this... or at least thought this through.

"I was going to follow you both home and try to get some pictures of the baby. For evidence. I didn't think you'd be so protective of him."

"Why, because you think that we don't look out for our own?" You ask, angry at his assumption. "Because you didn't think that we could possibly _care_ or have things like feelings?"

Dib frowns at your statement. Honestly, he had been so caught up in his desire to get evidence that he didn't think about how it would affect you and Zim. But, he quickly disregards those thoughts. If you guys didn't care about how humans felt if you were to take over the earth, then he wasn't going to care about how you guys felt either as he tried to stop you.

  
Or at least, he was going to try not to care.

"C'mon, just let me get a couple pictures of him out of his... disguise thing and I'll be on my way."

"What? No!" You and Zim snarl in unison.

"But I asked nicely." Dib whines. "I used manners."

"And you plan to post those pictures up on a website where millions of others can see. They'll know his location. They'll know where he is! That's not safe! You expect me to be okay with that?" You ask, angrily. "Just because you asked nicely, doesn't mean I'm going to be pleasant. You've been entirely aggressive to Zim and I up to this point and _I don't bloody trust you_ , especially with you snooping around the house last night at midnight!" You sneer.

"How did you know about that?" Dib asked, slightly fearful because he can feel your rage rolling off of you in waves. Zim's anger wasn't much better. However, Dib was slightly more fearful of you. He knew how Zim fought. You, however, were the wildcard. Because of this, he completely disregarded Zim as a possible threat.

That was a mistake.

Zim was trying to control his temper for your own sake, but he was getting annoyed with Dib's repeated attempts to annoy and bother his family. First you, and now the smeet as well? He could only imagine how stressed you must have been. You were caught in between everything; trying to juggle caring for the smeet, dealing with your own body and how it's changed after the pregnancy, and also trying to help him with his mission to please his Tallest. Dib's attempts to get evidence was _not_ helping and seeing you so distressed just pisses Zim off. Zim tries to handle this in a non-violent way, if only for the sake of the smeet. He doesn't want the smeet's first memory to be his father maiming someone in a dark alleyway, no matter how much they might deserve it;

"Let me be clear, you sickening, troublesome human. If you come within three feet of my mate and our smeet, I will cut you limb from limb. I will dissect YOU, and present YOU to the filthy earth creatures that live in this revolting city as a warning.. _and that's if my mate doesn't get to you first."_

Dib swallows thickly.

"You heard him. Now go." You growl lowly.

Dib nods, and backs away slowly, before bolting away from the murdery alien-people with strange glowing blue daggers.

Once you are sure he's gone, you sheath your daggers and then quickly check on Zur, who had thankfully fallen asleep during the whole thing. Zim hands you back your dagger that you loaned him, and you stuff it back into your bra. Zim is about to ask if you were okay, but you suddenly grab him and hug him close, burying your face into his neck. He could feel you placing delicate kisses on his mating-mark, and he purred in response, his arms coming up to cradle you.

"Thank you. You blessed being. You're divine. You know that? You're so brave." You murmur into his skin.

"I'm just doing what I feel is right." Zim mutters into your the hair of your human disguise. "I have to step up to the plate too, sometimes. You are going through enough as it is, being a new mother. I know I'm a new father, but you do so much for me as it is. It's only right that I help you where I can."

You smile, and affectionately nuzzle Zim's neck, purring and trilling happily to show your appreciation. 

Zim smiles and presses a kiss to your forehead. 

"Let's go back home."

You nod, and he helps push the carrier.

Yeah. Home. That sounds nice.

_Home._

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, you gorgeous thing you!
> 
> What did you guys think? As always, comments and kudos are dope and much appreciated, yo!  
> What do you want to see next? Any questions, or suggestions you have? I'll try to answer any of em if I can. ♥


End file.
